Huawei and ZTE Win Multiple 5G Contracts in Vietnam, Deepening Beijing Hanoi Tech Ties

Vietnamese procurement records and multiple people close to the deals show Huawei and ZTE have captured a string of 5G equipment contracts this year, signaling a notable expansion of Chinese participation in the country s telecommunications build out. The contracts include a consortium award involving Huawei valued at roughly 23 million dollars and at least two ZTE antenna contracts that together amount to more than 20 million dollars.

While global vendors Ericsson and Nokia secured core 5G infrastructure work in Vietnam, the newer awards to Chinese firms cover a growing share of smaller tenders with state owned operators. The pattern reflects a commercial tilt that officials and industry analysts say could have broader strategic implications as Hanoi balances its economic and security relationships with both Beijing and Western partners.

The movement of Chinese vendors into these segments comes against a backdrop of strained trade relations between Washington and Hanoi. The United States imposed tariffs on certain Vietnamese goods earlier this year, a measure that has complicated Vietnam s economic ties to Western markets even as it pursues infrastructure and technology investments. The simultaneous deepening of telecom contracts with Chinese companies underscores how Vietnam is navigating competing pressures from major powers.

Western governments have expressed concern privately about the expanding footprint of Huawei and ZTE in critical communications networks, citing potential risks to network security and to controls over future technology transfers. Such apprehensions have already influenced policy in several countries that have limited the role of Chinese equipment in core network functions. In Vietnam, the recent awards to Chinese suppliers have prompted renewed scrutiny from some foreign officials and industry observers, who warn that allowing broader access now could constrain options later for securing or upgrading sensitive parts of the network.

Tender documents and the people familiar with procurement said governments and the companies involved declined to comment on the awards. Reuters reported the details based on those records and sources. The contracts represent relatively modest sums when compared with large scale national rollouts, but their cumulative value and the kinds of equipment involved may still shape procurement patterns as Vietnam scales 5G across urban and rural areas.

Vietnamese officials have long emphasized the importance of diversifying technology suppliers to maintain resilience and bargaining leverage. The recent combination of European vendors taking core roles and Chinese firms winning peripheral equipment contracts illustrates that strategy in practice, but also highlights the difficult trade offs Hanoi faces as it seeks investment, fast deployment and geopolitical balance.

As 5G deployment continues, analysts say Vietnam s choices will influence not only national connectivity and industrial modernization, but also the broader architecture of digital infrastructure in Southeast Asia, where competition among Chinese, European and American technology providers is intensifying.